1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of items for amusement, particularly amusement for a domesticated animal, and more particularly to a toy adapted for use by dogs or other pets, that is durable, flexible and appealing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stuffed plush toys are well known in the art. Such stuffed toys are typically formed by first forming a cloth body of suitable shape and inserting stuffing therein. The shape and contour of the finished stuffed plush toy are largely determined by the fabric configuration, i.e. by cutting the fabric and joining cut edges along seams. Such stuffed toys have various types of conventional stuffing. Furthermore, the fabrics generally used when making such toys are substantially one-layered.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,917 to Adler contemplates the use of a stretchable layer of fabric on the exterior of the toy. However, Adler fails to provide any reinforcement to such fabric that will prevent tearage due to strenuous use of the toy by domesticated animals.
Pet toys can be made from many materials or layers of materials. Early attempts to create a durable toy resulted in a hard toy. Many toys designed for pets are carried in the jaws of the animal, tossed, chewed and trampled. Such use causes wear and tear on the product and shortens the life of the toy. Most wear results in torn material or separations at the seams. Certain manufacturers have attempted to strengthen the material or enhance the seams to make a more durable toy. A common problem is that a durable toy tends to have a “hard feel,” and loses its appeal to an animal. Most animals prefer soft manageable toys that have some “give,” and that can be easily manipulated and provide exercise for the jaw.
Many compressible toys include a single layer of material surrounding a polyester fill with seams. If the material used does not stretch, then the risk of tearage in a domestic animal's mouth increases. Those toys that use a stretchable woven material often lack reinforcement that prevents tearage, leading to a short, limited lifespan of the toy.
To solve the problem of short-lived amusement articles, certain toy manufacturers include a reinforcement layer that strengthens the toy surface. However, such reinforcement changes the nature of the product from a plush layer compressible toy into a harder type of toy. In addition, a reinforcement layer may cause a second type of wear, as the outer plush layer interacts with the reinforcement layer, and the friction created between the two layers further wears on the outer plush layer.
Thus, the goals of providing both a durable object and a stimulating toy often conflict with each other. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,355 describes a multi-layered pet toy that includes a bullet resistant layer of nylon to reinforce the durability of a toy. While the toy disclosed in the '355 patent is somewhat deformable, the use of bullet resistant material restricts manufacturing choice, raises the cost of manufacture, and stiffens the feel and character of the plush toy.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a strong, durable, and attractive pet toy that a dog can sink its teeth into without tearing the outer surface of the toy.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toy that is deformable yet durable.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pet toy having a soft external surface that may include various weave types and weights.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pet toy that is easily compressed in the mouth of a dog or other domesticated animal.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pet toy with a soft and stretchy feel.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a pet toy that can be manufactured relatively easily and inexpensively.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for advantageously forming such a toy.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the present description proceeds.